This year’s attendance at the cancer survivors day celebration hosted by the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center and WVU Hospitals was the largest on record.  More than 500 cancer survivors, their families and friends gathered at Lakeview Resort in Morgantown for a sit down dinner and entertainment by a motivational humorist and two-time cancer survivor.

As Mack Dryden stepped onto the podium he was struck by how many survivors were in the room.  “Isn’t it great to get a second chance?” he asked.  “It empties you out when you learn you have cancer.  It made my knees buckle.”

Dryden said he believed firmly in the healing power of laughter.  “It works,” he said. “I even cheered up a few folks during my radiation treatment for testicular cancer.  As the treatment was being administered he would shout out, “more power captain.”

Dryden said he learned that there are two types of stress— things you can do something about and things you can do nothing about.  He made certain he never missed an appointment and took all of his meds.

Just last August he fought another bout with cancer.  This time he was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma on the back of an eye.  “They sewed a radioactive button on the back of my eyeball, and nuked it.  I was awake throughout the procedure to make sure they did it right,” he joked.

Dryden shared his foolproof formula for goal achieving which includes maintaining a positive mental attitude and learning to adjust to get your desired response.  He encouraged cancer survivors to take advantage of the second chance they’ve been given.  “Remember, falling on your face is still moving forward,” he said.